Such a hose belt conveyor is known from the German Offenlegungsschrift 4,036,731. To drive the adjacent thickened parts the abutting sides are provided with opposed recesses to accommodate a wire structure comprising two interconnected wires. These wires have to transmit driving forces.
This structure is relatively complicated but necessary to guarantee sufficient drive for the thickened parts.
From the British patent application 2,007,178 a hose belt conveyor is known wherein the thickened parts are trapezium-shaped. When these thickened parts lie against each other, a V is formed with an angle greater than 120.degree.. The two parts of the V may be supported on rollers, as shown in FIG. 3 of this British Patent Specification. It is necessary here for the thickened parts to be pressed against each other, and this is achieved by making the rollers stepped. The first part acts upon the above-described V-forming part, while the second part of the rollers connects to the top side of the trapezium of each of the thickened parts. This means that the rollers have to be of relatively complex design and that a considerable measurement tolerance is necessary. If the distance between the parallel outsides of the thickened parts is reduced through wear, it will be necessary to adapt the spacing of the raised sides of the rollers. For this purpose, it is necessary to provide for the rollers to move relative to one another. In the case of the design according to this British Patent Specification, the drive is by means of a pair of rollers which enclose the trapezium-shaped thickened part on all sides. Such a drive is relatively complex and, as in the case of conventional conveyor belts, is generally provided at only one place. This makes it necessary for the belt to be provided with longitudinal reinforcements for absorbing the driving forces produced by the single drive motor and extending over the length of the belt. Such a drive also means that the length of such belts is limited, because the driving forces would otherwise become too great for the longitudinal reinforcement, or because otherwise the belt becomes expensive.
From the PCT-application 93/08107 a hose belt conveyor is known wherein the sides abutting each other are perpendicular to the extension of the hose belt. It is not possible to clamp the thickened parts between two V-shaped driving or guiding members.
The invention aims to provide a more simplified design for hose belt conveyors.